Agitation
by lilyevansmagic
Summary: The slap that started it all. What was Darry thinking?


Where was that kid? It wasn't like him to be out so late. I paced back and forth across the room.

"Look Darry, just calm down. I'm sure Pony has a good reason." Soda drawled from his spot on the sofa.

Following his advice, I sat in the armchair, and read this morning's newspaper, attempting to calm down. Time crept by, and eventually, Soda fell asleep.

Then, I heard the creak of the door slowly opening. Within a second, I jumped onto my feet, newspaper tumbling to the floor, and relief flooding through me.

"Where the heck have you been? Do you know what time it is?" The relief of him arriving home had vanished, replaced with boiling anger. As Ponyboy shook his head without sayin' a word, the anger was kicked up a notch.

"Well, it's two in the morning, kiddo." I stated calmly. "Another hour and I would have had the police out after you. Where in the almighty universe were you?" I snarled the last sentence, hands shaking.

Looking down he stammered, "I...I went to sleep in the lot..."

"You what?" I shouted at him. "What were you thinking?"

My yelling woke up Sodapop. "Hey, Ponyboy," he mumbled, "where ya been?"

We both ignored Soda. "I didn't mean to." Pony begged, puppy eyes appearing on his face. "I was talking to Johnny and we both dropped off..."

"I reckon it never occurred to you that your brothers might be worrying their heads off and afraid to call the police because something like that could get you two thrown in a boys' home so quick it'd make your head spin." I started angrily. "And you were asleep in the lot? Ponyboy. What on earth is the matter with you? Can't you use your head? You haven't even got a coat on!" I shouted, fury overwhelming my senses.

"I said I didn't mean to..." Pony said softly, eyes glistening with tears. I felt guilty for a moment, but I ignored that feeling. He didn't need to be cuddled up to. Not now.

"I didn't mean to! I didn't think! I forgot!" I roared at Ponyboy, who shook slightly. "That's all I hear out of you! Can't you think of anything?"

"Darry..." Sodapop said slowly. I spun around to face him.

"You keep your trap shut!" I yelled at him. "I'm sick and tired of you hearin' you stick up for him." Sodapop's face flashed pain, but he hid it soon after. Ponyboy, on the other hand, wasn't pleased with what I said.

"You don't yell at him!" He shouted back at me. I felt guilty again, before red overtook my sight. Nobody told me what to do. Especially people younger than me. I turned sharply, facing Ponyboy, and before I knew it, I raised my hand and threw it across his face, a loud snapping noise echoing through the house.

Suddenly, there was no more anger in me. Just total regret. I looked down at my hand, which was flushed red from the force of the slap. Realisation hit me. I had just hit my brother. My youngest brother. I look back at Pony, my eyes wide. "Ponyboy..." I attempted to begin, before he twisted around, and tore out the door.

I tried to run after him, but damn, that kid's fast. I managed to get out onto the street before screaming, "Pony, I didn't mean to!"

Silence met me, even though I'm sure he heard me. I noticed Sodapop walking up beside me, and together we watched our youngest brother, Ponyboy, disappear into the lot, knowing there was nothing we could do for now.

I then turned to Soda, realisation dawning on me.

"Soda, what am I going to do?" I trembled, tears threatening to spill. "Nobody ain't hit Pony before. What's mum and dad going to think of me?" I couldn't bare it anymore. I started to walk back into the house, with Sodapop right behind me.

"Easy now Darry. I'm sure Pony is going to be alright." He said soothingly.

Arriving at the house, I sat in the closest chair to me. The armchair, where everything started. I was openly shaking now, tears streaming down my face. Shocked, I lifted my fingers onto my tear-stained face. I pulled them away, and stared at the wetness of my fingers. I was crying. I hadn't even cried when mum and dad died. Looking at up, I saw Soda on the sofa, where he was sleeping just a few moments ago.

"What am I going to do? The gang gonna hate me now. Pony's probably running away now. To anywhere better than me." I cried, my face buried in my hands.

"Darry, I'm sure someone will find him. He's not going to run away, he'll be back eventually. Let him cool off. If he's not back by tomorrow evening, we'll go search for him." Sodapop reassured me.

With a sigh, I stood up, and looked at him, noticing the faint trails of the tears on the his face. "Alright then. Now time for us to go to bed." I washed my face before I walked into my room, not wanting anybody to see my tear-stricken face. But even so, the moment I got into bed, the tears erupted again.

"Oh Pony, please be alright. I beg ya, don't get into any trouble now... I'm sorry." I mumbled out loud, before the exhaustion of the time and trouble caught up to me, and took me to sleep.

* * *

Well I hope that was okay. This was an assessment for my English class, which was basically to re-make a scene from another character's point of view. I was thinking about making a second part to this story, which is basically Darry's reaction to Ponyboy running away. And I'm really bad at making titles, so just ignore that. Please review!


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